Yilan Yuanshan Township Mayor Chang Yi-hua Detained for Alleged Embezzlement of Village Chief Subsidies
Chang Yi-hua, the mayor of Yuanshan Township in Yilan County, and a former village chief were arrested and detained on suspicion of embezzling administrative subsidies for an acting village chief. The county government plans to suspend Chang from his duties in accordance with the Local Government Act.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 21:34
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 22:02 (27 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 13, 2026 at 22:22 (20 min after Collected)
Central News Agency, Yilan, 13th - Yilan County's Yuanshan Township Mayor Chang Yi-hua and former Hubei Village Chief Lee Yung-ho, suspected of embezzling administrative subsidies for an appointed acting village chief, were ordered to be detained by the Yilan District Court today. The county government stated that upon receiving the official document, it will suspend Chang Yi-hua from his duties according to the Local Government Act and appoint an acting mayor.
Hsu Cheng-tung, the chief of Zhonghua Village in Yuanshan Township, was recalled in 2020. Chang Yi-hua appointed a specialist from the Yuanshan Township Office, surnamed Huang, as the acting chief of Zhonghua Village. Later, Lee Yung-ho was removed from office after being convicted of fraudulent household registration, and Chang then appointed Mr. Huang as the acting chief of Hubei Village as well.
By law, a village chief is entitled to a monthly administrative subsidy of NT$50,000. Prosecutors suspect that during Huang's tenure as acting chief for both Zhonghua and Hubei villages, Chang Yi-hua allegedly instructed Huang to hand over the remaining monthly sum of approximately NT$40,000, after deducting necessary expenses for activities, to Chang and Lee Yung-ho for their personal expenses, either through a female worker at the township office surnamed Kuo or directly.
Prosecutors launched a search yesterday and questioned Chang Yi-hua, Lee Yung-ho, Huang, Kuo, and others. After questioning, prosecutors determined that Chang and Lee were suspected of embezzling public property under the Anti-Corruption Act and posed a risk of colluding with witnesses and destroying evidence. They applied to the Yilan District Court for their detention incommunicado. Huang and Kuo were released on bail of NT$200,000 and NT$100,000, respectively.
During the judge's inquiry, Chang Yi-hua completely denied receiving the village chief's administrative subsidies, claiming that Huang had attempted to give him the money but was refused. However, his statements were inconsistent with those of other defendants, and messages on Chang's phone had been deleted. The judge found sufficient facts to believe there was a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, and ordered his detention incommunicado.
Although Lee Yung-ho admitted to embezzling public funds and using the received village chief's administrative subsidies for personal use, his account of the case details differed from that of other defendants. He had also deleted LINE messages, posing a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, leading to his detention incommunicado. (Editor: Li Hsi-chang) 1150513
Hsu Cheng-tung, the chief of Zhonghua Village in Yuanshan Township, was recalled in 2020. Chang Yi-hua appointed a specialist from the Yuanshan Township Office, surnamed Huang, as the acting chief of Zhonghua Village. Later, Lee Yung-ho was removed from office after being convicted of fraudulent household registration, and Chang then appointed Mr. Huang as the acting chief of Hubei Village as well.
By law, a village chief is entitled to a monthly administrative subsidy of NT$50,000. Prosecutors suspect that during Huang's tenure as acting chief for both Zhonghua and Hubei villages, Chang Yi-hua allegedly instructed Huang to hand over the remaining monthly sum of approximately NT$40,000, after deducting necessary expenses for activities, to Chang and Lee Yung-ho for their personal expenses, either through a female worker at the township office surnamed Kuo or directly.
Prosecutors launched a search yesterday and questioned Chang Yi-hua, Lee Yung-ho, Huang, Kuo, and others. After questioning, prosecutors determined that Chang and Lee were suspected of embezzling public property under the Anti-Corruption Act and posed a risk of colluding with witnesses and destroying evidence. They applied to the Yilan District Court for their detention incommunicado. Huang and Kuo were released on bail of NT$200,000 and NT$100,000, respectively.
During the judge's inquiry, Chang Yi-hua completely denied receiving the village chief's administrative subsidies, claiming that Huang had attempted to give him the money but was refused. However, his statements were inconsistent with those of other defendants, and messages on Chang's phone had been deleted. The judge found sufficient facts to believe there was a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, and ordered his detention incommunicado.
Although Lee Yung-ho admitted to embezzling public funds and using the received village chief's administrative subsidies for personal use, his account of the case details differed from that of other defendants. He had also deleted LINE messages, posing a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, leading to his detention incommunicado. (Editor: Li Hsi-chang) 1150513